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FUNDING NEEDED
N$190.2m needed to control Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform says it needs N$190.2 million to implement critical measures to contain the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak in Karasburg.
By: Elizabeth Naftal
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform says it needs N$190.2 million to implement critical measures to contain the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg Veterinary District, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani said yesterday in an update on the outbreak in the //Kharas Region.
“The scale of our response to the current state of outbreak requires additional financial, logistical and institutional investment,” she said.
The ministry has identified a funding requirement of N$190,185,580.87 for the implementation of the critical containment response. About N$47 million of the amount is earmarked for approximately 290 kilometres of new fencing from Ariamsvlei through Karasburg to Ai-Ais.
“The proposed infrastructure is intended to strengthen separation between the containment zone and surrounding areas and to support the enforcement of livestock movement controls,” Zaamwani said.
The outbreak was first detected on 22 September during routine clinical surveillance at a farm in the Graswater area, where laboratory investigations subsequently confirmed FMD serotype SAT 1.
Zaamwani noted that the Directorate of Veterinary Services had received 531 samples friday, 2 October, with 79 testing positive across 11 farms, 450 testing negative and one remaining unconfirmed pending laboratory testing.
She added that the Directorate of Veterinary Services had deployed 13 surveillance teams as part of the response, while the teams had inspected 15,096 animals at 66 of the 81 farms targeted for surveillance. Inspections of the remaining 15 farms were expected to be completed by Monday, 5 October.
The ministry has also investigated livestock movements associated with 47 establishments within a 30-kilometre radius, extending to approximately 50 kilometres from affected premises.
Moreover, the revised response strategy includes vaccination of eligible livestock within the designated containment zone, targeted culling, intensified surveillance and strict movement controls.
“The Ministry will continue to determine the appropriate interventions based on epidemiological evidence, the distribution of infection, available resources and applicable veterinary standards,” Zaamwani said.
The outbreak has resulted in the suspension of Namibia’s recognised FMD-free status without vaccination, with implications for livestock trade and market access.
